


Tread Softly

by moonside



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Also puppies, Fanboy Prompto, Fluff, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Promptis - Freeform, This is Meta, Unrequited Love, literally that's all it is, prompto likes writing self-insert equilibrium fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 03:04:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15379302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonside/pseuds/moonside
Summary: “Gun kata is the coolest thing ever,” Prompto smiles dreamily, tipping his head back against the couch. “You think Gladio could teach me that stuff?”Prompto is a total fanboy for a stupid action flick. Noctis finds it oddly endearing.





	Tread Softly

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Overlimits](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Overlimits/gifts), [krityan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/krityan/gifts).



> i fully do not expect ANYONE to read this. 100% wrote this for my friends. 
> 
> based on the movie "equilibrium", which is basically shitty martial arts, but with guns. also puppies. so basically, this would be prompto's fav movie, AND I WILL FITE YOU ON THAT LMAO.

Noct’s best friend Prompto is into some… weird things. Not like, _harmful_ weird, but it’s definitely something... different.

 

And well, that’s part of his charm. Prompto worked his way under Noct’s skin, got through all his defenses, in such a disarming, natural way, that he still hasn’t quite wrapped his mind around it. He’s sunny, cheerful, bright—and with a quiet undertone of _sincerity_ that Noct’s never felt in another person. They fell together naturally, and they’ve never looked back. Maybe the two of them should have other friends, shouldn’t be so close, but – they’ve never felt the _need_ for anyone else.

 

So, Noctis indulges Prompto’s silly little hobbies.

 

It starts on a Saturday night when they’re trying to decide on what movie to watch. They’ve been friends for a while now, but they’re still toeing the very edge of that invisible line between good friends and best, and they’ve both got a few secrets up their sleeves still. They’re scrolling through a list of sci-fi movies (ranging from “cheesy” to “unbearably bad”) when Prompto reaches over and tugs at Noct’s sleeve insistently.

 

“Noctis. Scroll back.”

 

Noctis does as he’s instructed, and he blinks at the movie the cursor stops on.

 

“… this one?”

 

Prompto flushes and shifts a little, but the grin on his face is honestly all that Noctis needs to be convinced. “Uh-huh,” he says, “… that’s like, kinda my favourite movie. It’s _awesome_ Noctis.”

 

“What? I’ve never even _heard_ of this, Prom, what’s so good about it?”

 

“Just wait!” Prompto bounces a little in his seat on the couch, his eyes bright and his smile addictive. “Coolest movie ever, Noctis.”

 

\---

 

It turns out, the movie is _not_ cool, but Noctis totally understands why his best friend would like it. The premise is absolute garbage, some weird dystopic flick about preventing war by outlawing feelings. As a future king, Noct’s pretty fucking sure the whole thing is garbage, because the _last_ thing the world needs is more apathy.

 

“Did you _see_ that!” Prompto babbles on in the midst of a horribly shot action scene involving some sort of gun-related martial arts, and Noctis _totally_ realizes why Prompto’s into this. His best friend is weirdly into guns. They’re pretty cool and all, but Noctis prefers swords.

 

This is. So Prompto’s thing though.

 

“Uh-huh,” he agrees noncommittally.

  
Fifteen minutes later, Prompto’s in outright tears because some assholes on the screen are murdering a bunch of puppies. The main character – an unrelatable asshole, surprise, surprise – rescues a ridiculously cute puppy from imminent death, and it’s the first interesting thing to happen so far in the film.

 

“Goddamnit, Prompto, the dog better not die,” Noctis groans. He assumes that his best friend has seen this movie before, and the amount of tears brimming in Prompto’s bright eyes is somewhat alarming. They have a few unspoken rules about the movies they watch: the animal can’t die. They’d learned that the hard way and Noct _really_ doesn’t want to relive that moment.

 

“It doesn’t,” Prompto sniffles, tipping his head and burying his face in Noct’s shirt. Noctis groans; still, he can’t help the way his arm curls around Prompto’s shoulders, giving a reassuring little squeeze.

 

(The dog doesn’t die, thank fucking god. It’s a very cute puppy.)

 

\---

 

“Wasn’t that the _best?!”_ Prompto babbles on after the end credits roll. Noctis blinks, staring blankly at the screen.

 

It was one of the worst movies he’s ever seen.

 

“I don’t understand why they made a martial arts movie with _guns,”_ Noctis blinks. “Doesn’t an automatic weapon totally defeat the purpose?”

 

“Shut up, you love those stupid samurai movies!” Prompto shoots back with a huff, his eyes narrowing and his arms crossing, as Noctis rudely interrupts his frantic fanboying. “Same concept.”

 

Noctis rolls his eyes. “Except with a _sword,”_ he sighs.

 

“Gun kata is the _coolest_ thing ever,” Prompto smiles dreamily, tipping his head back against the couch. “You think Gladio could teach me that stuff?”

 

Noctis can’t quite hold back the little burst of laughter. “You should ask him and find out,” he teases, and Prompto doesn’t quite pick up on his sarcasm. Instead, now, Prompto’s ranting on about how he’d _love_ to pull off those sick moves, and hey, it’s kinda a cool concept to think that Noct’s the _heir_ to an entire nation, and it’s a good thing they don’t live in a world that’s outlawed emotion, and—

 

Noctis zones out a little, admittedly. It’s getting late, and he’s sleepy, and soon his head is drooping onto Prompto’s shoulder, his eyes drifting shut, while his best friend still rambles excitedly. It was a bad movie, but that’s part of the charm of it all. It’s cute, endearing, that Prompto’s so into it.

 

\---

 

Of course, Noctis assumed that it was simply just a movie.

 

A few days later, Prompto’s at his place (as usual). They’re spread out on Noct’s bed, and they’re _supposed_ to be doing school work. Noctis is – begrudgingly – finishing up a paper. Prompto’s flopped on his belly, legs kicking in the air, and he’s a bit of a… distraction. Noctis shouldn’t keep sneaking looks at his best friend’s thighs, but Prompto’s wearing shorts that are scandalously small, and teenage hormones are weird sometimes.

 

“Hm,” Prompto says pensively, and Noctis is grateful for the distraction, his gaze shifting to a much more socially-acceptable place, focusing on his best friend’s tipped chin and narrowed eyes.

 

“How’s the paper going?” Noctis asks.

 

“Eh?” Prompto blinks, lifting a hand to rub at his forehead. “Oh. Yeah. I’m totally procrastinating on that, Noct,” he admits with a quiet laugh. That’s no surprise, but as Noctis sneaks a glance at his best friend’s screen, he sees that he’s working on a rather long word document.

 

“… whatcha writing then?” Noctis asks.

 

Prompto flushes. “A story,” he says somewhat evasively, ducking his head down.

 

A story. Noctis had no idea that Prompto was into writing. He’s instantly curious, for reasons he can’t entirely discern. It’s the same sort of reasoning that guides a lot of his motives, where Prompto’s involved – like why his eyes keep drifting to the delicious crease where Prompto’s thighs meet his ass, or the way his heart flutters when Prompto smiles at him.

 

“What kind of story? Can I read it?” Noctis asks, setting his own laptop aside and scooting down the bed.

 

Prompto flushes even brighter. He opens his mouth, shuts it, and opens it again. His fingers clench at his laptop, as if he’s going to shut it and pull it away – but, instead, sighing, he lifts the laptop up, handing it over to Noctis. “Okay,” he agrees quietly, “but. Promise. You can’t laugh.”

 

“No promises,” Noctis counters immediately, because what the hell is Prompto doing? His best friend gives him the cutest pout though, and Noctis sighs, his heart doing that weird thing in his chest again. Okay, so this is important to Prompto, he _won’t_ laugh…

 

As his eyes scan the page, though—

 

 _The building was empty, except for the single man sitting in the middle of the room. Sunlight streamed through the windows, catching nodes of dust as they filtered through the musty air. Prompto Argentum, Cleric Extraordinaire, slowly stepped across the room. His gun was poised, aimed to kill, as he stared down his partner, his_ friend. _No, he wasn’t allowed to have friends. He wasn’t allowed to feel, but. Why was there a building dread in the pit of his belly? Noctis Lucis Caelum, his_ partner – _not friend, he reminded himself – was reading a_ book. _He was quoting from it, reading its poetic words cryptically –_

“Prompto,” Noctis says slowly, “… are you writing self-insert fanfic about that shitty movie we watched the other day?”

 

“Do you _really_ need to put it that way?” Prompto reaches for the pillow that he’d tucked under his head and tosses it at Noctis. Noct lifts the laptop up, using it as a shield to deflect the blow, and he can’t quite help but burst into frantic laughter. It’s too much.

 

“You said you wouldn’t laugh!” Prompto sounds horrified, ducking his head down, his tone shifting to a desperate whine. “ _Noct!”_

Noctis can’t quite help it. It’s endearing as hell. His best friend is a _total_ nerdy fanboy, and it’s somehow the most adorable thing he’s ever experienced. He doesn’t voice that part, though, opting to shift directions. “Wait. So. I’m the dude who _dies?_ Not fair, why do you get to live?”

 

In the movie, the main character’s partner was killed fairly early on – and it’s no surprise, because he was played by an actor who’s notorious for dying horrible, gruesome deaths in films. It makes sense, of course, that Prompto would shaft him into that role and steal the spotlight, and Noctis is _mostly_ teasing, but—

 

“Actually,” Prompto quips up, the awkward embarrassment on his face replaced with a bright smile. “It’s an AU Noctis.”

 

“AU?” Noctis blinks. As much as he’s playing it cool, he may also be a total nerd. And they _might_ have online accounts to look at fanart and stuff for their favourite video games. Still, fanfiction for a bad movie is a totally different level of nerd, and Noct’s sticking to that. Still, he recognizes the term. “Like alternate universe?”

 

Prompto nods enthusiastically, scooting up the bed to settle next to Noctis. Their hips bump and their elbows touch and it makes Noct feel warm inside. “Yeah. So, like, y’know how your character dies in the movie there?”

 

“Yep,” Noctis rolls his eyes. As much as he’s trying to forget this awful movie, he can’t.

 

“So,” Prompto says solemnly, “In _this,_ I – well, you know what I mean, _he –_ can’t do it. They’re too close, and even though there’s not supposed to be feelings, there—well—” he stumbles and stutters with his words a little, before continuing – “… he just can’t, okay? So the two of them rebel and become this badass team of retribution!”

 

“Sounds gay, Prom,” Noctis comments idly, and that earns him a grumble and a punch to the arm.

 

“Shut up, Noct! They’re best friends! Like us!”

 

Noctis groans. “Are _we_ really that gay? Cuz it sounds like it.”

 

(His heart is definitely doing that thing in his chest again, and Noctis wonders if he’s pushing the teasing too far. Prompto doesn’t reply right away – _shit –_ and Noctis quickly clears his throat and moves on.)

 

“Wait, what about the dogs? If you turn, then you don’t rescue the puppy. You’re _killing puppies,_ Prom?”

 

The diversion works, and Prompto perks up again. He reaches for his laptop, plucking it out of Noct’s hands, and scrolls down a little. “Okay, so this fic isn’t done yet. I dunno how it’s gonna end. _But--!”_ He points victoriously at the screen, and Noctis leans in to read a paragraph that details – in great, unrealistic badassery – how the two of them storm in and rescue _every_ puppy in existence before the bad guys can kill them.

 

“Well, at least you’ve improved it,” Noctis agrees, with a shake of his head and a stupid smile playing across his lips. “Okay, Prom, this is like, the nerdiest thing _ever._ I like it.”

 

And, strangely enough, he does. Noctis feels closer to Prompto than before—like his best friend has let him in, has let him see some side of himself that he’s never gotten to fully examine before. It’s there, in quiet moments between them, in awkward shared glances and in the way Prompto stumbles around words, but sometimes finds the absolute _perfect_ way to say things. It’s… nice.

 

“Really?” Prompto flushes. “You’re not just sayin’ that to be nice, right?”

 

“Nah,” Noctis agrees, nudging their shoulders together. “Can I have creative input? I totally want to read this when it’s done.”

 

“Yeah!” Prompto agrees brightly. “You can _totally_ be my co-collaborator, Noctis!”

 

\---

 

Prompto’s stupid fanfic becomes a silly little side pet-project for him. He’s not a terrible writer, but he falls victim to every single bad trope. Noctis shakes his head as he reads it, the two anti-heroes kicking ass and killing several hundred people in the name of ‘justice’ and he has to admit.

 

It’s a little bit gay.

 

But, it makes Prompto happy.

 

So, when his best friend’s birthday rolls around, Noctis gets an idea. It’s a terrible idea, and he knows it, but hell, he’s a spoiled rotten prince, and terrible ideas are totally his thing. It’s not like anyone is going to tell him _no._ Ignis can try, but—

 

Well, what Ignis doesn’t know can’t hurt him, right?

 

In Prompto’s story, their characters have adopted a puppy – the one from the movie, a giant, fluffy ball of fur that drools and slobbers everywhere. He’s ridiculously cute. (Prompto affectionately deemed him ‘Squishy’, claiming it’s from another fanfiction he’s written, but he refuses to let Noctis see _that_ one.) They’re saving the world through complete chaos, or something. Honestly, Prompto’s lost track of the story, and it’s mostly become about the two best friends going on adventures, with shit occasionally blowing up.

 

He likes it, though, and Noctis likes helping and giving input. It’s kinda their _thing._

 

Prompto’s birthday falls on a Sunday, this year. He’s coming over Saturday afternoon to spend the night, so Noctis, for the first time in his life, has set an alarm ridiculously early. And by ‘ridiculously early’, he means ten in the morning, but that’s hella early for a _weekend._

 

Noctis is damn proud of himself today. He’s planned this for a while now. For Noctis himself, birthdays aren’t a big deal. He always tries to do something for Ignis, Gladio, his dad, but it’s admittedly always a bit half-assed because he procrastinates and forgets until the day before.

 

But for _Prompto,_ it’s different. He’d scoured the internet finding what he was looking for. He did his research (kind of). He knows better, but as always, when Prompto is involved, Noctis just doesn’t care beyond _what will make his best friend happy._

Money doesn’t have a lot of meaning to Noctis, either, and he’s happy to sign the forms and hand over the lofty amount of cash. He’d stopped at the pet store beforehand, and he’s got a chocobo-themed leash and a cute pink collar that he fastens around the puppy’s ridiculously fluffy neck. Noctis had visited before, and he’d specifically picked this dog out.

 

“They grow big,” the breeder had warned him in the initial interview, but Noctis had grinned and assured her, that was fine. He’s the _prince of Lucis,_ too, and it’s obvious, so it’s not like anyone was going to refuse his adoption paperwork, even if he’s literally hitting every single red flag on the damn application. Gift? Yep. Live in an apartment? Yep. Live on the _top floor_ of an apartment? Yep. Ever owned a dog before? Nope. Busy? Absolutely.

 

Whatever. It’ll be _fine._

 

Noctis is pretty sure he’s never put as much effort into anything in his life as he does with setting his apartment up. There’s a giant, fenced in area set up in the middle of his living room – furniture pushed aside – and puppy pads spread across the floor. Toys are strewn everywhere. The dog ran itself in circles before finally passing out, and Noctis is already exhausted. It’s not even _mid-afternoon_ yet.

 

When the doorbell finally rings, though, Noctis drags his lazy ass off the floor and practically dashes to the door. He’s excited. It’s definitely Prompto.

 

“You look tired,” Prompto comments, as Noctis cracks the door open. “… and suspicious,” he adds, eyeing Noctis, who is absolutely doing his best to keep his face innocent. He’s failing miserably, a smile tugging at his lips, eyes glinting mischievously. “What are you up to?”

 

“It’s your birthday tomorrow,” Noctis says, though he keeps the door cracked. Prompto’s expression shifts, and he tries to peek past Noctis, into the apartment.

 

“What did you _do?”_ Prompto asks.

 

“You’ll see,” Noctis grins. “Close your eyes.”

 

Prompto starts to protest, thinks better of it, and shuts his eyes. Noctis can’t hold back the smile as he opens the door more. His hands close around Prompto’s, and he takes a step backwards, leading his best friend into the apartment. Noct doesn’t really know what the goal is—he’ll sit Prompto down on the couch and put the puppy in his lap, maybe? Hold it in front of his face like the guy does in the movie?

 

Well, whatever he’s half-assed planning here, a frantic whine and a pathetic little _woof_ coming from the doggie gated area totally gives it away.

 

Prompto damn trips over his own two feet and practically _falls_ into Noctis. “… Noct,” he says, and he can’t keep his eyes shut anymore. “… holy shit, Noctis—is that--?”

 

Noct can only watch as Prompto scrambles forward, leaning over the gate to pick up puppy. It’s a hefty little thing already, fur soft and eyes even softer as it whines and licks at Prompto’s face, apparently _immediately_ knowing who he belongs to. Totally worth it, Noctis agrees, as Prompto turns around, wonderment in his eyes.

 

“… is this for me?” he asks softly, giggling frantically as the puppy licks his cheeks, covering him in slobber.

 

“Uh-huh,” Noctis grins. “Happy birthday, dude.”

 

Prompto grins brightly, but his expression dampens a little as realization dawns. “… dude, my parents will _kill_ me if I bring home a dog, Noct--!”

 

Naturally, Noctis hadn’t really _thought_ that part of the plan through. And, naturally, he doesn’t really care. Those are details, right? Prompto practically lives at his place anyway, and Noctis lives on his own, so it’s not like he has pesky parents to deal with. “It’s fine,” he says, “he can stay here ‘til you move out.”

 

“… really?” Prompto blinks. “What about Ignis?”

 

Noctis shrugs. “It’s fine. It’s just a puppy, right? He isn’t very big.”

 

“… Noct, he’s a Bernese…” Prompto replies, skeptically, but Noctis shrugs. He doesn’t care. He and Prompto are partners, best friends. In Prompto’s stupid story, they’ve just got each other, rebelling against a world that doesn’t understand them and their feelings, and is reality really so different? Damn what everyone else says.

 

“It’s _fine,”_ he reassures Prompto, and his best friend is giving him the brightest smile in the whole world, making his stomach do flips and his heart pound in his chest. Noctis doesn’t quite understand it, but he _feels_ something, and maybe he’s not meant to realize what it is yet. “You wanna walk him? I bought all the stuff we need.”

 

“Yeah,” Prompto agrees, giving the soft puppy a giant hug, burying freckled cheeks into its fur. “.. sounds perfect, Noct.”

 

\---

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so sorry if you read this, except i'm totally not sorry at all, this trash fuels me lmfao. 
> 
> (prompto 100% has a bunch of shitty fanfic written that's all about his unrequited love for noctis. noct is just too dense to realize it yet, and fuck, i've started a series with this again haven't i? LOL)


End file.
